Merrick County, Nebraska: commercial real estate data.
Merrick County, Nebraska had an estimated 7,837 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 7,663, across 485 square miles. County output reached $554.2 m in 2024, 249 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 4 7(a) approvals worth $1.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Merrick County
How many people live in Merrick County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20247,724
- Households3,205
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$68,354
- Median age43.2
- Median gross rent$750 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$175,900
- Home value to household income2.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher18.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over5,468
- Population under 181,742
- Share under 1822.6 percent
- Population 65 and over1,684
- Share 65 and over21.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 644,298
- Civilian labor force4,091
- Unemployment rate0.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over68.4 percent
- Rank by population among Nebraska counties38th of 93
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2670th of 3,222
Merrick County is the 38th largest of 93 Nebraska counties by population. A median home costs 2.6 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.6 percent against 21.8 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Merrick County
Is Merrick County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 20247,837
- Census 2020 base population7,663
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.27 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202491
- Births, 202485
- Deaths, 202489
- Natural change, 2024-4
- Net domestic migration, 202492
- Net international migration, 20246
- Total net migration, 202498
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024212
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1086th of 3,144
The county has grown 2.27 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Merrick County
Where are people moving to Merrick County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving215
- People arriving, from those returns418
- Tax returns filed by households leaving193
- Net household movement22
- Adjusted gross income arriving$10.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$582,000
- Average income of an arriving household$48,409
- Average income of a leaving household$50,912
- Largest single originHall County (89 households)
- Largest single destinationHall County (57 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hall County | 89 | 180 | $4.2 m |
Households arriving report $2,503 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Hall County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Merrick County
What is the Merrick County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$554.2 m
- County GDP, 2023$546.3 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20241.4 percent
- GDP change over five years45.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Nebraska areas BEA publishes43rd of 93
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2340th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$71,752
Output grew 1.4 percent in the latest year and 45.2 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Merrick County
Employment by industry in Merrick County
- Covered employment, annual average2,451
- Establishments reporting275
- Average annual pay$57,455
- Average weekly wage$1,105
- Construction, employment436
- Construction, average annual pay$104,786
- Manufacturing, employment228
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$62,066
- Retail trade, employment190
- Retail trade, average annual pay$29,889
- Wholesale trade, employment186
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$72,361
- Finance and insurance, employment84
- Transportation and warehousing, employment48
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 436 | 36 | $104,786 |
| Manufacturing | 228 | 16 | $62,066 |
| Retail trade | 190 | 24 | $29,889 |
| Wholesale trade | 186 | 24 | $72,361 |
| Finance and insurance | 84 | 18 | $64,702 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 48 | 19 | $46,815 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 48 | 18 | $53,617 |
| Other services, except public administration | 44 | 15 | $37,979 |
Construction is the largest private sector at 436 jobs, 17.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Merrick County
How many businesses are in Merrick County?
- Establishments, all industries249
- Employment at those establishments1,766
- Annual payroll$86.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents32.2
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Merrick County
Building permits in Merrick County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202444
- Declared construction value permitted$12.3 m
- Single family units authorized36
- Multifamily units authorized8
- Multifamily share of units18.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$279,778
- Units authorized per 1,000 households13.7
Single-family homes are 81.8 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Merrick County
SBA loans in Merrick County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded4
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$1.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$335,075
- Median 7(a) approval$272,500
- Largest single approval$720,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)23
- Jobs per approval5.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active3
- Distinct industries receiving approvals4
- Median 7(a) term132 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer25.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter2
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals50.0 percent
- 504 approvals recorded3
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.0 m
- Average 504 approval$654,667
- Median 504 approval$156,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval5.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved7.6
- Most active CDCNebraska Economic Development Corporation (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$3.3 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Merrick County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Merrick County
Do SBA loans in Merrick County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded1
- Paid in full1
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure3
- Status: Paid in full1
Only 1 loan has reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Merrick County
SBA lending by place in Merrick County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Central City, approvals2
- Palmer, approvals1
- Grand Island, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Central City | 2 | $1,135,000 |
| Palmer | 1 | $130,000 |
| Grand Island | 1 | $75,300 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Merrick County
How large is Merrick County?
- Land area485 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Nebraska counties77th of 93
- Width, east to west35.8 mi
- Height, north to south36.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land16
- Establishments per square mile0.51
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Merrick County
Flood risk in Merrick County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Merrick County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 310457
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book7
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- NFIP participation rate85.7 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Merrick County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Merrick County (community 310457), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Merrick County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 85.7 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Merrick County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Merrick County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20247,724
- Households3,205
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$68,354
- Median age43.2
Common questions
Merrick County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Merrick County, Nebraska?
The Census Bureau estimates 7,837 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 7,724, in 3,205 households, ranking 38th of 93 Nebraska counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Merrick County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.27 percent since the 2020 census base of 7,663, to 7,837 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 85 births against 89 deaths, with net migration of 98. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Merrick County?
$68,354. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $175,900, which is 2.6 times income, and median gross rent is $750 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Merrick County?
249 establishments, employing 1,766 people with an annual payroll of $86.8 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Merrick County?
Construction is the largest private sector at 436 jobs, 17.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 2,451 jobs at an average annual pay of $57,455, or $1,105 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Merrick County?
4 7(a) approvals totaling $1.3 m since FY2020, across 3 lenders, with a median approval of $272,500, plus 3 504 approvals worth $2.0 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Merrick County?
44 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $12.3 m. Multifamily was 18.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Merrick County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Merrick County come from?
The largest single origin is Hall County, with 89 households. Arriving households report an average income of $48,409 against $50,912 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Merrick County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Merrick County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Merrick County
Cities and places in Merrick.
6 Census places lie wholly or partly in Merrick County. All 6 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central City | city | 3,061 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Palmer | village | 403 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Silver Creek | village | 341 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Clarks | village | 330 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Chapman | village | 290 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Archer | CDP | 53 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 4 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Merrick County, the largest being Grand Island (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby